The invention relates to a motor vehicle, including an electric energy accumulator, in particular a battery, which can be charged via an external charging device, and a charging cable for connecting the vehicle to the charging device. In addition, the invention relates to a method for operating such a motor vehicle.
In the art, motor vehicles are already known which receive part of their driving power from an electric energy accumulator. The electric energy accumulator is hereby predominantly configured as a high-voltage battery having a higher voltage than the typical on-board electrical system. In electric motor vehicles and so-called plug-in hybrids, it is possible to recharge the energy accumulator by a charging device from an external power source. To connect the charging device and a corresponding plug-in location on the motor vehicle, it is known to provide a charging cable that is associated with the motor vehicle itself. This means that the motor vehicle, for example an electric motor vehicle, and not the infrastructure is typically delivered with the charging cable. The charging cable can, depending on the exact specification of the charging method, be designed for example in such a way that it can be plugged in at both ends. One side is thus plugged into the vehicle, the other side to the charging device (charging infrastructure). Once this is done, charging starts.
As soon as charging is completed, the charging cable can be released on both sides again, wherein known designs require release of at least the vehicle-side plug again, as otherwise vehicle operation of the motor vehicle is prevented, for example, by blocking the drive train of the motor vehicle. A released charging cable can be stowed for example within the motor vehicle at a designated position.
However, it is also conceivable that a driver, when starting to drive off, releases the charging cable only on the vehicle side, for example for reasons of convenience. Now, the motor vehicle can be moved, without carrying the charging cable with it. In such a case, the charging cable remains at the charging site. This can happen, however, also inadvertently, when the driver leaves behind/leaves hanging the charging cable and drives off without the charging cable.
In such cases, the driver no longer has available a charging cable at the destination site. He can therefore no longer charge the motor vehicle, that is the energy accumulator. When an electric vehicle is involved, this may lead to a so-called “stranded vehicle”.
However, there are also situations conceivable in which the driver deliberately drives off without the charging cable, for example, when planning a round trip (departure point same as destination point), in the absence of stowage space for the charging cable because of the cargo in the motor vehicle, or when being sure that the driving distance is short enough so that the energy is sufficient to return. Also, the presence of an emergency situation can cause a driver to drive off without the time-consuming stowage of the charging cable.